Page 36 of Dance with the Devil

“Close your eyes.”

This made her laugh. “I don’t think we’re that far gone yet.”

“I’m just being protective.”

She loved this man. Maria couldn’t believe there was ever a moment in her life that she doubted how she felt about him. He was everything to her.

Draven slid up her body, and she felt the hard ridge of his cock as he pressed it to her entrance. She moaned as he slid inside her.

****

A Few Months Later

Draven had never considered himself an insecure man. He was a man who knew what he was doing. Who always had a goal. He was a man to be feared. He’d been called many names in his time, most of them worse than the previous one. All of them deadly.

Fear was not an emotion he was used to. Not for a long time. He’d been afraid that night when he encountered his father’s destruction. The death he’d caused. Draven had learned from that fear, he’d harnessed it.

Sitting in a private hospital room with his wife on the bed, waiting for the doctor to tell them exactly what was wrong with their baby, was the worst feeling in the world. Since accepting his wife was pregnant, that he was going to be a father, rather than just take it one step at a time, he had not.

He’d gotten several pregnancy books, telling him about all stages of pregnancy and how his child was going to look at each month. Staring at the screen of the ultrasound, he couldn’t make anything out.

Along with all the amazing developments of a child, he had also read the problems that could happen during pregnancy.

“What’s wrong, Doctor?” he asked.

“Draven, stop.”

“We can’t hear a heartbeat.”

“Stop panicking.” Maria took his hand, locking their fingers together.

He had doubts. Of course he did, who didn’t? There were nights he’d lie awake with Maria at his side, and he’d wonder if there would come a point when she was terrified of him. Antwone told him he had the same feelings, but he didn’t allow it to hold him back. He used those feelings to make himself a better person. To thrive.

Draven began to lose his temper, growing increasingly annoyed with the doctor and them not listening to him. Then, he heard it. The sound echoed around the room.

“Is that the heartbeat you’d like to hear, Mr. Esposito?”

Maria gasped.

“Is it strong? Healthy?”

“Yes.”

“That’s our baby,” Maria said. “Our child has a healthy heart.”

Draven listened to that sound and turned to his wife. He smiled at her. He pressed kisses on her lips.

Sitting back down, he held Maria’s hand tightly. “Tell me the news, doctor,” Draven said.

“Stop it. He’s been reading all these books.”

“Yes, I can tell. There was a time when pregnancy didn’t come with much of a handbook,” the doctor said. “Now there’s an expert on everything. Your child, Mr. Esposito, is healthy, and growing lovely. I don’t see any reason to be concerned. Have we decided if we’d like to know the sex of the child?”

“Yes,” Draven said.

He didn’t care if it was a boy or girl. Maria had wanted to know the sex. Draven just wanted to know if it was healthy.

“No,” Maria said.

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